The second annual Heart of the West Art Show & Auction opens at the Best Western Plus GranTree Inn in the heart of Bozeman, MT, on Thursday, August 10, at noon. More than 50 western artists from around the country exhibit new paintings and sculptures in booths throughout the convention space. Artist demonstrations, presentations, and a live auction round out the weekend of events.

When the juried show and auction debuted in Bozeman last year, the community response was very encouraging, says show director Morgan Cawdrey, whose family organized the Western Masters show in Great Falls, MT, for several years. “There aren’t really any major art shows in Bozeman,” he says. “There are great galleries here, but there aren’t a lot of events that bring in fine artists from outside. We wanted to create a forum for introducing some of our favorite artists to the community.”

Michael Lewis, His Braids Have Meaning, oil, 18 x 24.

Krystii Melaine, Panning for Gold, oil, 10 x 12.

David Mensing, Disseminative, oil, 30 x 40.

Dubbed the gateway to Yellowstone National Park, the Rocky Mountain town is the perfect setting for hosting this year’s group of artists, all of whom depict contemporary and historical western subject matter in their work. The talented lineup includes Colin Alexander, Bonnie Zahn Griffith, Robert Krogle, Kim Randleas, Alexander Selytin, Michael Ome Untiedt, and Sherry Salari Sander. A majority of the show features bronze sculptures and oil paintings, including Native American motifs, still lifes, landscapes, and wildlife art, but the exhibition is also peppered with unique artworks, such as Japanese woodblock prints, silk paintings, and wood and stone carvings.

Joining the event for the first time is up-and-coming artist Sarah C. Richter, whose equestrian-themed oil paintings celebrate the individual personalities, anatomies, and movements of horses. Richter frequently sets her realistic portraits of this beloved creature against solid-black backgrounds, steering the viewer’s attention to its one-of-a-kind markings and expressions. “Horses have an amazing ability to reflect a person’s personality,” she says. “They’re honest creatures. As I create a piece, I try to portray them with this honesty. People frequently look at my work and relate the most beautiful stories about loved ones they’ve lost, emotions they’ve experienced, and even certain sensations.”

Sarah C. Richter, Moo, oil, 36 x 36.

Michael Blessing, The Show Must Go On, oil, 16 x 20.

Nancy Cawdrey, Moose Alert, dye on silk, 34 x 35.

On Friday at 4 p.m., as many as 15 artists come together for a Quick Finish demonstration, and a second group gathers on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. to complete works-in-progress and brand-new works. An auction of more than 100 lots kicks off on Saturday at 4 p.m. with live and online bidding, starting with works produced in the Quick Finishes. Also on the auction block are pieces by the exhibiting artists and more than a dozen other acclaimed artists, including Michael Blessing, Meagan Abra Blessing, John Garre, Linda Tuma Robertson, Kim Mackey, David Mensing, and Deb Schmit.

“We’ve always loved doing shows of this kind because you have a lot of one-on-one time with the artists while being surrounded by their artwork,” says Cawdrey. “It’s about putting good artists in front of art lovers and collectors so that they can form lasting relationships.” —Kim Agricola

Featured Artists

Gradually, the artist found less and less satisfaction in merely “painting what I thought would sell.” That’s when he began turning back to the mostly American Indian-inspired figurative works that the East Coast gallery owner had warned him to avoid.